The Iliad One and a Half
by gmstone1998
Summary: This was an English project I had to do, meaning to be a spoof of The Odyssey. So I chose my favorite goddess from Greek mythology, Artemis, and gave her a back story! (By the way, apparently story titles can't have fractions on here, but the title was supposed to reference that old Lion King movie.)


**DISCLAIMER: I have not read any of the Percy Jackson series, or any of those other mythology books. My resources for this story are purely _The Iliad_ and _The Odyssey_, and what I learned in English class about them. This was all in good fun, and I had a great time playing around with such unique characters. **

* * *

**(Some of the younger gods return from watching the movie ****_Troy_**** at a theater, disguised as mortals of course).**

**Apollo: I don't know, I guess it was an okay movie.**

**Aphrodite: Did you see Achilles? Not as hot as the real one, but ****_still_****! They could've not included all the blood and gore though.**

**Ares: What are you talking about? That was awesome!**

**Artemis: But they didn't even show us! The nerve of those directors!**

**Apollo: I was in there. I got a golden statue! :)**

**Athena: Achilles ****_did_**** cut your head off.**

**Apollo: :(**

**Athena: It doesn't matter to me. I was in ****_The Iliad_**** and ****_The Odyssey_**** plenty of times.**

**Aphrodite: Ewwww, reading. **

**Artemis: Well unlike you guys, I was hardly given anything! Mentioned as an epithet maybe once or twice, and a single page at the end of the book! How fair is that?**

**Athena: If you want a part so bad, maybe you should write your own story!**

**Artemis: That's it! Apollo, are you getting this?**

**Apollo: Aw man…**

* * *

The gods clashed with a mighty tumult, earth rang, and heaven echoed with sound like a trumpet blast. Zeus, on Olympus, heard the row, and he laughed to himself with joy, witnessing the immortals' quarrel.

Poseidon turned to Apollo, saying: 'Apollo, why are you holding off? It can't be right to leave it to the others. Shame on us if we scurry back to Olympus, to Zeus' bronze threshold, without fighting! You, the younger, should attack me first, given I am older and more experienced. Ah, what an empty-witted fool you are!'

'Poseidon,' replied Apollo, 'you would hardly call me wise if I fought with you for the sake of these wretched mortals, now full of life, eating the earth's fruit, now fading away and falling like the leaves. Let us cease arguing now, let them fight their own battles.' Then he turned away, ashamed to quarrel with his own uncle.

But now his sister Artemis, Queen of the Creatures, Goddess of the Wild, reviled him with harsh rebukes: 'So you are off now, Apollo, yielding all to Poseidon, handing him victory without a struggle! What's the sense, you fool, in carrying a bow as useless as the wind? Don't let me hear you boast again in our Father's house, as you did before among us immortals, that you'd fight Poseidon hand to hand!'

Apollo did not deign to answer, but Hera, revered as Zeus' wife, rebuked the Lady of the Bow angrily: 'You want to fight with me now, do you, bold and shameless as you are? I am no mean opponent, I tell you, if you seek a challenge, even though you wield the bow, and Zeus made you a lioness where women are concerned, letting you kill them as you wish. You'll find it better sport, though, to slaughter deer and other prey in the mountains, than take on someone fiercer than yourself. But if that's your idea, to vie with me in strength, then let this teach you who is stronger.'

So saying, she seized the other's wrists in her left hand, snatched Artemis' bow and quiver from her shoulders and, laughing all the while, boxed her on the ears with the weapons as she writhed, scattering the winged arrows. Artemis fled weeping from her, like a dove, flying from a falcon, which finds a cleft or hollow in the cliffs so cheating fate. She took her tears with her, but left the bow and arrows where they lay.

-Excerpt from _The Iliad_, by Homer

* * *

**Artemis: Okay, stop there.**

**Apollo: But doesn't the book mention you going to dad after that?**

**Artemis: Let me tell it my way! Just keep writing. Now where was I…**

* * *

Artemis dashed away, hot tears streaming down her face. Hera's words and blows still rung in her ears. Without thinking, she fled to the mountain peak of Olympus, where the king of the gods sat proudly on his throne. Tall and muscular, he was the very embodiment of power. Upon seeing his distressed daughter, Zeus took her upon his lap and asked gently, "Now now, what's the matter? Who has harmed you?" He pet the young girl's wavy brown hair affectionately.

Gaining her composure, Artemis adjusted her silver sash and replied, "Your wife. She's the one who's caused all of this bickering!"

Zeus hesitated, not sure how to handle this situation. Should he take his wife's side, or his daughter's? Such was what the mighty Zeus had to deal with. Like usual, he decided to be neutral and avoid the topic. "Alright, why don't you calm down a bit? Come, sit with me next to your siblings."

Artemis spotted the two on his left in the shadows by their bright pink and red sashes. The laughter-loving goddess of love Aphrodite sat weeping with the fierce war god Ares. Annoyed yet curious, Artemis plopped down on the ground next to them. "What happened to you two?" She asked casually.

Ares shook his head in shame. "Hera sent Athena to come and beat us up."

"She made me break a nail!" Aphrodite interrupted, wailing pathetically.

"We're not sure if we want to continue this war."

Artemis stood up, her anger renewed. "So that's it then? You're going to let Hera get her way? You two might be spineless enough to let that slide, but not me!" Just as she stated this however, Hera entered, looking very pleased with herself. Taking a seat next to Zeus, she glanced in their direction with a sneer, as if to say, "Are you going to do something or not?" Artemis glared at her, leaving the room in a hurry, mostly so she wouldn't be seen affiliated with her feeble relatives.

Later that evening, a secret meeting was held in the throne room with the war gods over the current situation of the Trojan War. Poseidon, Apollo, Athena, and Ares (his pride still crippled) were all in attendance, with Zeus was watching over them in mild interest.

Artemis was passing by when she noticed the gathering._ A meeting about the war? Why wasn't I invited?_

Zeus spotted her and pulled her aside. "Dear, we're having an important discussion right now. You should run along and go rest."

"But I want to be a part of it! Apollo is in there; why can't I?" Artemis protested.

"You are a hunter, not a warrior. You have your own duties to fulfill."

"If I can take down a full-grown grizzly bear with one shot, surely I can wipe out some puny Greek soldiers! C'mon, all I want to do is fight!"

Zeus was clearly not making progress with this, and tried to find a solution. "Alright, but you must first prove yourself. Seek out the sly animal known as the Teumessian fox. Bring me the creature dead or alive by tomorrow, and I will permit you to fight."

Artemis thought briefly about this. The Teumessian fox was famous for its cleverness and agility. It had never been caught by any mortal man. _Well, I'm not a mortal, or a man, so this should be easy!_ "I accept. I won't let you down dad!" Giddy with excitement, she skipped away.

Hera giggled behind him, wrapping her arms around his large bicep in a tight caress. "Oh darling, that was remarkable. We'll never see that tree hugger again."

"Do not underestimate Artemis. The girl has a very determined spirit." Zeus warned.

"Precisely why you had to send her away. We can't let her get involved with the Trojans. Don't you remember the Niobe incident? With the twins together on the battlefield, there's no telling what will happen. Now come along dear, the Muses are going to treat us to some new music."

Later, when the meeting had adjourned at around midnight, Apollo returned to the home he shared with his twin sister on the slopes of Mt. Olympus. The location was perfect, overlooking the entire valley that the mountain faced. On cool evenings, the two would take their bows and challenge each other to see who could shoot the most game animals from their balcony.

When he heard movement down the hallway, Apollo called, "Arty? Are you still up?"

"Yep! Just tidying up a bit." She answered through the door.

"Hey, are you okay? I mean, about today..." Apollo was worried about her from what had happened that morning with Hera. He had merely stood aside and watched as his own sister was attacked, and he felt terrible about it. He worried not only for her physically, but how she was handling this emotionally. Apollo knew her better than anyone, and he knew she thought very highly about herself. Being shamed like that must have been damaging.

"Sure, I'm fine! Just a couple bumps and bruises; nothing serious." Apollo was skeptical; she was being strangely accepting of this whole thing. When he went into her room, he saw that she was packing a bag. Now more suspicious, he asked, "Where are you going?"

"I'm...going on a little trip. You know me; I can't stay locked up in these gates forever. I won't be gone long." She replied with a shrug, sliding past him. Apollo blocked her way, folding his arms.

His brown eyes, speckled with gold, looked at her with concern. Zeus's eyes. In fact, everything about Apollo reflected his father. He was strong and tall, with bright blonde hair that seemed to shine like the sun. Artemis, on the other hand, inherited her mother's frail stature, brown hair with flecks of silver that made her look older than she was, and proud emerald green eyes. And yet in the strangest way, the two could not look more alike. "Arty, What's up? You don't have to keep secrets from me."

Artemis turned away, shaking her head. "Sure I do. You're the god of _truth_. Any secret I tell you is public news by the next day."

"Nevertheless, what's going on?"

She sighed, pulling him into her room and closing the door. "Apollo, I asked Zeus today about joining the war."

"_What_? Artemis, you know we've talked about this before. You aren't ready for combat yet." Apollo advised with an air of authority.

"I'm not a kid anymore! I can handle myself. You keep forgetting, I'm older than you!" Artemis asserted.

"By about five minutes." Apollo muttered.

Artemis ignored the comment and continued. "Zeus told me I needed to complete a task in order to prove myself, and I'm going as soon as dawn breaks. I'm going to capture the Teumessian fox, and no one is going to stop me." She rose to leave.

"Wait, Arty!" Apollo touched her shoulder.

She turned, looking up at him in annoyance. "Yes?"

"Are we still the celestial duo?" He asked.

Artemis laughed, forgetting her frustration. "Of course. Sun and moon forever, right?" She messed up his perfect, golden hair and gave him a hug.

"Just be careful, okay sis?" Apollo whispered into her ear. "Make sure to keep that big head in check?"

Artemis rolled her eyes, but nodded. "Promise."

As Apollo left her room, he tried to reassure himself that she'd be alright. Even though gods were immortal, they could still be killed if the injuries were fatal enough. He'd seen how good she was with a bow, in fact, maybe even better than him. But wild animals were different than trained warriors.

* * *

**Apollo: Okay, woah woah woah. I'm so better than you at archery, and you know it!**

**Artemis: I'm sorry, I can't hear you over my 'big-headedness'. Take that part out!**

**Apollo: I did say that, and we have to stay true to what happened!**

**Hephaestus: Hey guys, what are you doing?**

**Apollo: Arty's writing a sequel to ****_The Iliad_****.**

**Artemis: It's not a sequel! It's more like, um, a mid-quel. Yeah. **

**Hephaestus: Er, okay…oh, is this the part where I come in? **

**Artemis: Yep. Wanna help?**

**Hephaestus: Sure!**

* * *

The next morning, Artemis awoke early and left their beautiful home on the cliffs. But before she could leave to take on that pesky fox, she needed a weapon. She didn't want to bother looking for her old bow, so she decided she'd just ask Hephaestus to make her a new one. It wasn't a long walk before she found herself in the great blacksmith's forge, deep within the caverns of Mt. Olympus. Anvils and hammers were strewn all around, and furnaces were smelting away with various metals.

"Hephaestus?" She hollered, glancing around at the charred, black walls.

The crippled god jumped, bent over working on a shield. "Oh, Artemis! What can I do for you, most chaste and lovely goddess?" Hephaestus hobbled over awkwardly and bowed. He was the shortest and most reserved god, with skin that always seemed to be covered in charcoal and the like. Regardless, Artemis was very fond of him, and found his gentle nature refreshing.

She giggled. "How are you Hephaestus? I have a favor to ask, if you wouldn't mind."

"Anything for you, my lady. Regardless of our sides in the war, I am at your service." It was known that he somewhat supported the Achaeans, but it's not like he was going to go fight or anything. The gods were constantly hounding him to make weapons and armor for the mortals they supported, so even if he wanted to, he was too busy.

"I need a new bow. Do you think you could make me one, preferably silver?"

"As you wish." Hephaestus scurried away in an instant, coming back with bars of the precious metal, which he softened and hammered into shape. With a master's eye for detail, he smoothed and adorned the weapon with intricate designs. As he worked, he spoke to her, "If you do not mind me asking, what happened to your other bow?"

"I'm not sure, but I don't wish to see it again. Hera embarrassed me in the company of my brother and others." Remembering the scene, Artemis turned to hide a tear.

"I understand, but do not despair my dear. Hera may be cruel in her ways, but I do try to make an effort to forgive her." He tried to refrain from recalling how Hera had cast him out of Olympus for being ugly, causing him to have his permanently crippled leg. "After all, she is my mother, and your half-mother."

"I would never call her a friend, let alone 'mother'. But I will try if I can to follow your path to absolve her." She, of course, did not mean uphold that. Leto was her mother, and no one else could ever try to take her place.

Within minutes, the bow was finished. "For you, your grace. The silver is light and strong, and the string is likewise. I daresay that it might be better than your brother's bow of gold."

Artemis took it from his small worn hands and examined it, marveling in how it glimmered in the light. "Thank you Hephaestus. It's beautiful." After receiving arrows of the same material in a quiver, she reached into her bag and handed him a small hunter's knife. "It might not be to your standards, but it's all I have to give."

Blushing, Hephaestus shyly received the knife. "You are too kind, proud lady of the hunt. I will put this to good use." After a fond farewell, Artemis left the forge, feeling hopeful as she saw the sun rising high in the sky. _With this, I'll have that fox begging for mercy! _

Meanwhile, Hephaestus was treasuring the young goddess's gift, when Hera stormed in. "You!" She shouted, slapping the knife out of his hands. "How could you assist that gad-fly? Do you even know what side she's on?"

"Yes, I do." Hephaestus stated, holding his ground. "And I'm proud to help a maiden in need."

Enraged, Hera grabbed him by the collar, not a hard chore for his small stature. "I tossed you off this mountain once, and I will do it again. Who knows, maybe you'll break more than a leg this time."

"I may serve the Achaeans," Hephaestus denounced, "but I will not serve you!" Thinking rapidly, he grabbed what was within reach, an iron rod that was heating by a fire, and pressed it against her firm hands. With a cry of anguish, she released him and stumbled back, her hands now seared and red.

"You miserable midget! You'll pay for this!" With that, Hera rushed away to report this act of defiance. The craftsman stood trembling, fearing what was to come.

* * *

Artemis walked peacefully through the forest, completely at home in her own element. Sometimes she just needed to get away from all the shining buildings and streets of Olympus and escape to the quiet shrubs and streams. She didn't know the exact location of this illusive fox, but she was confident that it would not take long to locate it. She was the goddess of all animals, after all.

"What's the rush, huntress?" A voice echoed through the trees. In a flash, the goddess of wisdom and war Athena appeared, reclining on a tree branch.

"What do you want?" Artemis groaned. She was never fond of her older sister, always being Zeus's favorite child and getting to do whatever she wanted without punishment.

"Well, little birdie told me that you're going to join the war." She answered.

"Dang it Apollo..." Artemis muttered, shaking her head, although not surprised.

"No offense, but you should probably give up now before you waste your time. Battle doesn't really seem to be your thing." Athena persuaded.

"Athena, no matter what you say, I'm still going. You can't stop me." Artemis replied, still walking.

Athena dropped down in front of her. "Oh, but I can. You are fighting for the Trojans, aren't you?"

"Of course, why would I go against my brother?" Artemis answered matter-of-factly. She didn't think much about sides, but whatever Apollo supported, she would as well.

"But we're family too! Why would you go against your own sister?" Athena asked.

"You are_ not_ my sister, at least not by blood. The only family I have is Apollo, Leto, and Zeus. Period."

"Fine. Have it your way." Brilliant armor appeared on her body, and she pulled out a concealed sword. "I tried to convince you, but you forced my hand. Any enemy of the Achaeans is an enemy to me."

"Hold it!" Two voices hollered. Out of the sky came Aphrodite and Ares, riding in the war god's bright red chariot. Ares was dressed in his traditional battle gear, and Aphrodite was wielding a pink bow she probably borrowed from her son Cupid. "Athena, we've got a bone to pick with you!" Ares confronted.

"Please, I'm already done with you two." Athena laughed.

"Well we're not! What's the matter, afraid we'll beat you this time?" Aphrodite mocked.

"Maybe she's just chicken. Bok bok!" Ares taunted.

Athena scowled, quick to accept a challenge. "Alright, you're on!" Whistling for her chariot, she mounted and flew after them.

Ares looked at Artemis and winked, then drove the chariot away with the goddess in pursuit.

_Thanks guys. _Smiling, Artemis continued on her way.

* * *

**Apollo: Okay, now it's my turn.**

**Artemis: Hey! This is my story!**

**Apollo: Excuse me, who is the god of the arts here? Just a couple paragraphs.**

**Artemis: …fine. But it'd better be quick.**

* * *

Meanwhile, back on Mt. Olympus, Apollo was pacing back and forth in his home. It was eerily quiet on the mountain with most of the gods/goddesses gone fighting in the war or doing other duties._ I should go see how the Trojans are doing._ As he left, he thought he heard a voice yelling in the distance. _What in the heavens?_

He followed the sound to its source, and found three gods walking out of the forge. Hephaestus muzzled and chained, was being roughly dragged along by Poseidon, Hades close behind. Outraged, Apollo went to the two and confronted them.

"What is the meaning of this?" He snapped, not hesitant that he stood in the shadow of their tall figures.

"Hephaestus has betrayed the immortals with treason, and is ordered to be disposed of immediately." Hades answered in monotone, as if he had memorized the charge. He visibly showed that he did not want to be there, but being the god of the dead, had to oversee the proceedings.

Apollo glanced back at Hephaestus, and saw no guilt in his eyes, only fear. Turning back to face Poseidon, he avowed, "I don't believe you."

"Back off, sun god. You have no idea who you're dealing with." Poseidon threatened.

"Oh, I think I understand quite well, and I see that he is innocent." Apollo sassed unintentionally but with satisfaction.

"Regardless, we are following the will of Zeus. Hera said that Zeus commanded it." Hades answered.

_Hera...I knew she was up to something…_ Apollo frowned, thinking. _But how can I prove that he's innocent? Wait...that's it!_ "I demand that Hephaestus have a proper trial, in the presence of the gods."

"What makes you think that we'll follow _your_ orders?" Poseidon provoked.

"I'm the god of truth, aren't I? If I say that justice must be served, then it should. Besides, if you say he is guilty, what have you to fear?"

Poseidon and Hades turned and muttered to themselves, then faced him again. "So be it. The trial will be at sundown." In a flash, the three disappeared, probably to store the blacksmith in a jail cell in the meantime.

_I'll make this right Hephaestus, I promise._ Apollo whistled for his chariot, and quickly flew off to rally the gods together.

* * *

**Hephaestus: Aw…thanks bud. **

**Apollo: No problem. I didn't want to see those dirty soldiers anyway.**

**Artemis: Okay, can we please get back on topic? We're forgetting the whole reason this story is here.**

**Apollo: To show how cool I am?**

**Artemis: …no. Just gimme the feather.**

* * *

_Here it is. _Artemis walked into a clearing towards the center of the forest, a huge tree towering over her. At the base of this tree was a large burrow, big enough for a hibernating bear. She had taken a tip from some wild animals that the creature would be here. Boldly strolling in, she squinted in the darkness to see. Sure enough, there was the Teumessian fox, curled in a peaceful slumber. No wonder hunters craved it; its fur was beautifully scarlet, with proud ears and a prominent snout. It was the finest fox she had ever seen, and it was right there! _Alright, you're mine! _Without a word, she strung her bow and prepared to fire. In an instant, the fox opened its eyes and darted from the burrow. _Hey! _

Artemis chased after it with the speed and agility she was known for. Any trick it tried to pull, she was one step ahead. _C'mon, you're going to have to try a little harder to fool me._ As she ran, she prepared her bow, but just as she let go of the arrow, the fox vanished into a tree. _What? _Upon closer examination, she found that the tree was solid, but had a small engraving on the trunk in the shape of a horn. _Is this the work of Pan? _"That little medler!" The faun's music would disturb her hunting and scare away prey, which caused the two to not have a friendly relationship. It appeared to be an escape route made for fleeing rabbits, and this fox had been wise enough to take advantage of it. Well, it couldn't be helped at this point. Her target was gone, and she'd have to wait for the fox to come back to its burrow, and then she'd be ready.

Once, twice, three more times she attempted to strike the fox, but alas, it somehow always managed to find an escape. It even started snickering at her as it fled, which frustrated her even more. Eventually, the huntress was brought to her knees in defeat, staring hopelessly at the setting sun. "What have I done wrong?" She sighed, tears welling up in her eyes. Apollo's words echoed in her mind: "Make sure to keep that big head in check."_ Maybe…I'm going at this the wrong way. _It was a hard concept to grasp, but it finally hit her that she couldn't do everything.

A yelp caught her attention. Slowly rising to her feet, she peered down a worn path, and there was the fox, limping on its back paw. When she attempted to follow, the fox stumbled away in fear. "Wait!" She dropped her bow and arrows to the ground, her hands up. "Don't worry, I've already given up." She went over and knelt over the fox, easing it to a sitting position. "See, there you go." Gingerly, she examined its paw and found a thorn lodged in between its toes. "Misjudged a jump over a thorn bush, huh? Looks like we've both got some pride problems." With a wave of her hand, the thorn disappeared. "Perks of being a goddess." She said with a wink. The fox nudged her playfully and licked her on the cheek. "Aw, don't mention it. Oh, and hey, since I technically didn't catch you, your no-catch streak is still going. Lucky you, huh? You do need a name though...let's see...how about Tido?" The fox purred with delight.

"Artemis!" A voice called. Climbing up a tree, she looked out to see what it was. Her brother was soaring around in his chariot, scanning the ground.

"Apollo?" She flagged him down, and he jumped off quickly and came to her. "What's the matter?"

"Everything! Hephaestus is being put on trial!"

"Trial? Why, what did he do?"

"Apparently Hera got jealous of him helping you, and charged Hephaestus with treason. The trial is starting soon!"

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go!" Artemis hopped onto his chariot, an the two rode into the night.

* * *

Back at Mt. Olympus, the gods were all in attendance in the throne room. Zeus sat in his usual chair, and Hephaestus stood chained in front of him, self-consciously looking around at the audience with Hades behind him. Hermes was taking the role of a deputy, telling the others where to sit and organizing the impromptu 'courtroom'.

Zeus knew little about the civil affairs of the mortals, so this was all new to him. Hermes handed him a paper, and he read from it with difficulty. "Gods/goddesses of the jury, please stand and identify yourselves." The seven that were seated in the back then stood up.

"Demeter, goddess of agriculture."

"Persephone, queen of the underworld."

"Hestia, goddess of the hearth."

"Athena, war goddess."

"Ares, the _superior_ war god!"

"Aphrodite, goddess of love, and more recently, of sweet, sweet revenge!"

After a nudge from Hermes, the last one spoke. "Uh, hehe, I'm, um, Dionysus, god of (hiccup), fermented grape beverages."

Zeus put his hand to his forehead, sighing. This was going to be a long trial. "Alright, please be seated. I will now read the charge placed against the guilty party. Hephaestus is charged with defiance, treason, and the assault of Hera. Is the prosecutor ready to present their case?"

Hera smiled in her seat. "Why of course Zeusy." She confidently stood and turned to the jury. "My good immortals, we all know that the humans look up to us for wisdom and guidance. So, we must in turn be at our best and provide for them the best we can. But answer me this, how can we assist the mortals, when we do not act as one? Any weak link in our chain must be removed. This-" She pointed directly at Hephaestus, "is a clear example of a link that must be destroyed before he can do any more destruction."

Persephone raised her hand meekly. "Um, what trouble exactly has he caused? I don't remember him being very troublesome."

Poseidon brought out the iron crowbar that had been in the forge. "Craftsman, do you recognize this tool?" Glumly, Hephaestus nodded. "Now, did you or did you not use this against Hera this very morning?" The blacksmith, with tears streaming down his face, nodded again. The jury gasped in surprise. Hephaestus tried to explain, but the muzzle prevented him from speaking.

"A confession! There is no need to go on. Zeus, you have the final verdict."

Zeus and the others were convinced. "Well, I'm sorry Hephaestus, but it seems I'll need to get my thunderbolts from someone else. Very well, Hephaestus, god of the fire and the forge, I hereby sentence you to d-"

"Wait!" Apollo and Artemis ran inside. "Hephaestus is innocent!" Artemis objected.

Hera scowled. It appeared that her victory would not be won as easily as she'd thought. She looked at Zeus, expecting him to shoo the child away.

"Alright daughter, what do you have to say?" Zeus smiled and offered her to stand in the front. Artemis had not been prepared to speak in front of all of them, and nervously made her way to where Hera stood, steaming with anger. Apollo gave her a thumbs up, and Artemis began to speak.

"Hera, why did you go to Hephaestus's forge this morning?"

"I was taking a stroll. What does it matter to you?"

"Are you sure you didn't go there to do something?

"I was making friendly conversation with a fellow Achaean god." Hera shrugged.

"Liar!" Apollo challenged, seeing through her act.

"You stay out of this, pretty boy!"

"Hey, you have no right to talk to my brother that way!"

"I am the queen of you puny gods, and I can get rid of you two just like Hephaestus!" Hera realized what she had said too late. The other gods stared, then chatted amongst themselves. The jury soon came to an agreement, and told their answer to Zeus.

"The jury has spoken. Hephaestus is hereby considered, not guilty." Hera, shamed, ran from the room weeping. Artemis went to Hephaestus and hugged him tight.

"But, there is one more matter at hand here. Artemis," Zeus turned to her. "it appears that you have not completed your task, and it is almost midnight."

Artemis looked down, accepting the truth. There was a bark in the distance. The gods turned, and they saw the scarlet fox race across the room to Artemis, her silver bow and quiver clenched in his teeth. She stroked him with delight and received back her weapon. "Thank you Tido, I must have forgotten it."

"So, is this the Teumessian fox?" Zeus gestured.

"Yes, and he is here alive, just as you requested." Apollo added.

"Yes…" Zeus beamed at his daughter, and patted her on the shoulder. "Alright Artemis, you have proven yourself. You are permitted to fight in the war."

Artemis remained calm, but was exploding with happiness on the inside. Hermes then flew into the room in a hurry, like he usually was.

"Zeus sir," Hermes addressed, saluting him. "The Achaeans are attacking the inside of Troy, and are requesting the assistance of Apollo and Artemis."

Artemis and Apollo looked excitedly at each other, and simultaneously got out their bows. Waving goodbye to the others, they flew away on their chariots into the night, the full moon lighting their way.


End file.
